Alexi Giannoulias on War & Peace

Stand firmly and unequivocally against Iranian aggression

The greatest single threat to peace in the Middle East is Iran. Iran's funding and facilitation of terror, including through its proxies Hamas and Hezbollah, greatly destabilize the region. Iran's activities threaten not only Israel, but also the
U.S. and the rest of the world. Alexi believes we must stand firmly and unequivocally with Israel against Iranian aggression, and recognizes the urgency of addressing the risks posed by Iran's nuclear program. Alexi supports President
Obama's position that a nuclear-armed Iran is unacceptable and believes our efforts should include using diplomatic tools, but with a concrete timetable coupled with the threat of crippling economic sanctions if
Iran does not end its illicit nuclear program. As Senator, Alexi would co-sponsor the Iran Refined Petroleum Sanctions Act.

Expel al Qaeda from Afghanistan, then end commitment

The situation in Afghanistan is dire. The violence threatens to destabilize Afghanistan's nuclear-armed neighbor, Pakistan, raising the possibility of a nuclear weapon falling into rogue hands. We must not allow the region to slip further into chaos--too
much is at stake. [This is the] region from which the attacks of 9/11 were launched, and where nuclear weapons could fall into the hands of fanatics and terrorists.

Alexi supports the President's decision to increase troop levels as part of a larger
military and political strategy to defeat the Taliban insurgency and permanently expel al Qaeda. This is not, and should not be, an open-ended commitment. Our military presence in Afghanistan should be aimed at preventing the Taliban from establishing a
base from which to destabilize Pakistan, giving the Afghanis an opportunity to develop a government that works, and training and enabling the Afghanis to secure their own borders and to keep al Qaeda and the Taliban out of the region themselves.

Withdraw all combat troops from Iraq by the end of 2010

Alexi believes that America's military resources in the Middle East are best spent combating the threat of al Qaeda, which is regrouping in Afghanistan and Pakistan. He supports the President's plan to withdraw all combat troops from Iraq by the end of
2010, with a complete withdrawal of U.S. personnel by the end of 2011. Our exit must be done responsibly and help ensure that we leave Iraq with a viable and credible democracy.